Container with push button combination locking mechanism



P. NEMSKY Nov. 3, 1964 CONTAINER WITH PUSH BUTTON COMBINATION LOCKINGMECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1963 INVENTOR. 76 /P /V.=M5K)P. NEMSKY Nov. 3, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1965 a v n v 7 ul1 3 P a Q1 41 1%- I: I. am 3i at rw- 5 3 i d l 6 a ln' E 1 M 1% rVV. Ill! 4 i 3 3 4 6 i 4 0% fi Q- 1 4 n a mM V W .3 T

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,155,236 CGNTAINER WITH PUSH BUTTON OMBI- NATIQNLGUKING MECHANISM Philip Nernsiiy, an Francisco, Calif. (Eli S. Iron Sh,Deming, N. Mex.) Filed May 2%, 1963, Ser. No. 281,435 6 Claims. (6i.2061.5)

This invention relates to combination lock containers in general, and isparticularly directed to a box, case or equivalent container, whichfeatures push-button combination lock means and which may beadvantageously employed in the merchandising of various items, such asjewelry, watches or the like, as a novel sales package for displayingsuch items and accompanying same in the sale thereof.

The saleability of various precious or delicate items, such as jewelry,watches or the like, is enhanced where the item is provided within alocking container which accompanies the item in the sale thereof andwhich, accordingly, may be employed by the purchaser in the subsequentsafe storage of the purchased item. Combination locking means may beadvantageously employed in these merchandising containers both from thestandpoint of the sales novelty thereby afforded as well as the actualsafeguard facilitated, in preventing children, for example, fromhandling the precious or delicate items stored therein when not in use.It will be appreciated that the combination locking means of such amerchandising container, in order to be practical, must be sufficientlycomplex to discourage the ready opening thereof through systematictrial-and-error setting of the locking mechanism to the various possiblecombinations thereof. In other words, there must be sufficient possiblecombinations afforded by the locking mechanism that there is a lowprobability that the one combination which opens the container can beattained without substantial manipulation of the locking mechanism. Onthe other hand, in order for such a combination lock merchandisingcontainer to be economically feasible, it must be capable of beingmanufactured at a low cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a merchandisingcontainer for jewelry, watches or the like which includes a novel,highiy effective, push-button combination locking mechanism capable ofbeing manufactured at extremely low cost.

Another object of the invention is the provision of apush-buttoncombination locking container which includes a transparent compartmentfor the display of contents, which compartment is rendered accessibleonly upon the depression of a predetermined combination of push buttonsassociated with the container.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a merchandisingcontainer which includes a transparent display compartment mounted uponan opaque base, and pushbutton actuated combination locking means forpreventing removal of the compartment from the base except when apredetermined combination of push buttons are depressed.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a push-buttoncombination locking merchandising container, of the class described,wherein the locking mechanism is effective in locking the compartment tothe base from both sides thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pushbuttoncombination locking container, of the class described, which is adaptedfor construction substantially entirely from low-cost materials, such asplastic.

Various other possible objects and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdescription of a single preferred embodiment of this invention. It isnot intended, however, to limit the present invention by the terms ofthe following description; but, instead, reference is made to theappended claims for a precise delineation of the true scope of thisinvention.

The invention is illustrated as to a single preferred embodiment thereofin the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the merchandising container of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken at line 33 of FIGURE 1, andillustrating particularly the novel push button combination lock meansof the case;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4- of FIGURE 2, but withthe display compartment of the container removed from the base thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken at line 5--5 of FIGURE 3,illustrating particularly the reset mechanism of the combination lockmeans; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIGURE 5, illustratingfurther details of the reset mechanism.

Considering now the invention in some detail and referring to theillustrated form thereof in the drawings, particularly FIGURE 1 thereof,there Will be seen to be provided a merchandising container 11 whichincludes a base housing 12 with a transparent display compartment 13mounted thereon and selectively releasable therefrom by combination lockmeans, including depressible push buttons 14. More particularly, thelock means are effective in obstructing removal of the compartment 13from the base 12 until such time as a predetermined combination of theplurality of push buttons 14 are depressed. Thereupon, the compartment13 may be slideably re moved from the base 12 to facilitate access tothe interior of the container, whereby the jewelry, watch or otherprecious or delicate items contained therein may be removed. In thespecific embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter described in detail, six push buttons 14 are provided in thecombination locking mechanism; and, depression of a predeterminedcombination of three thereof is required for re lease of the displaycompartment from the base 12. It can be shown that in this specificembodiment, employing six push buttons 14, there are 56 combinations ofthree push buttons which may be depressed. Thus, it will be appreciatedthat the probability is slight that one could arrive at thepredetermined combination of three push buttons required to release thedisplay compartment from the base without substantial trial-and-errormanipulation of the plurality of buttons 14. Hence, the push-buttoncombination locking arrangement tends to discourage opening of thecontainer by unauthorized individuals, such as children, and thecontents of the compartment 13 may be safely stored therein. It will, ofcourse, be appreciated that more or less of the push buttons 14 than thesix depicted in the preferred embodiment may be provided if desired;and, accordingly, no limitations are intended from the specific quantityof six push buttons herein employed.

In the preferred construction of the merchandising container 11 brieflyoutlined above, the base 12 is of longitu dinally elongated,substantially rectangular, boxlike configuration, open at its top and atone end thereof. More particularly, the base 12 is defined byparallel-spaced side walls 16, 17, interconnected at their lower ends bya transverse base wall 18. The side walls are preferably formed withlaterally projecting, longitudinally extending flanges 19 and 21 alongtheir upper edges; and, these flanges are provided with longitudinallyextending groves 22 and 23 which extend into the interior faces of theside Walls. The

base 12 further includes an end wall 2 which is conformed to thetransverse cross-section of the side walls, including the laterallyprojecting flanges thereof, and which is secured to one end of the basewall 18 and side walls 16 and 17 to thereby close one end of the base12. It is to be noted that the end Wall 24 likewise closes the grooves21 and 22 at one end thereof. In addition, the base includes a supportwall 26 which is secured between the side walls 16 and 17 in spacedrelation above the base wall 13 to thus define an enclosed region orcompartment 27 therebetween which serves to house various components ofthe push-button combination locking mechanism, as will be subsequentlydescribed in detail herein. Thi compartment is closed at the open end ofthe base 12; by an end wall-2% which extends transversely between theside walls 16 and 17 adjacent the lower ends thereof. The upper edge ofend wall 28 is downwardly spaced from the support wall 26 to define aslot 2? therebetween for purposes subsequently described. Preferably,the base 12, as formed of theelements just described, is fabricated ofopaque plastic material or equivalent low-cost opaque structuralmaterial which is capable of being readily formed in the configurationdescribed hereinbefore by mass production techniques.

-With regard to the display compartment 13, same may have substantiallyany desired closed configuration which has a lower portion conformed tothe transverse crosssection of the base 12. More explicit y, thecompartment 13 includes parallel-spaced side walls 31, 32 interconnectedat their upper edges by a preferably arcuate top wall 33 extendingtherebetween. End walls 34 and 36, of conformed cross-section, aresecured in transverse closing relation to the opposite ends of the sidewalls 31 and 32, and top wall 33. A removable base wall 37 is providedat the lower end of the compartment 13 to wholly enclose the same.Removable attachment of the base wall 37 may be provided in anydesirable manner, for example, by means of a force fit, intolongitudinally extending grooves 38 and 39 provided in the bottom edgesof side walls 31, 32 adjacent the interior faces thereof. Finger holesor the like (not shown) may be provided in the .base wall 37 tofacilitate grasping thereof, whereby this wall may be withdrawn from itsforce fit engagement with the grooves 33 and 39 to thus afford access tothe compartment interior. It is of importance to note that thetransverse dimension of the compartment is substantially equal to thespacing between the interior faces of side walls 16 and 17 of basehousing 12. In addition, laterally projecting flanges, or lips, 41 and42 extend longitudinally along the exterior faces of side walls 31 and32, and are upwardly spaced from the base of the compartment 13 by anamount substantially equal to the vertical distance between the supportwall 26 and base edges of the grooves 22 and 23. The lips 41 and 4-2 areconformed to the grooves 22 and 23, such that the lips may be slideablyinserted into the grooves from the open end of the base housing. Thus,with the lips engaged within the grooves, the compartment 13 may beslideably inserted into the open end of the base to a fully-insertedposition wherein the end wall 36 of the compartment abuts the end wall24 of the base housing. The longitudinal dimension of the compartment 13is comparable to that of the base housing, such that when thecompartment is thus fully inserted, the end wall 3 2 of the compartmentis positioned with its exterior face substantially flush with that ofend Wall 28. By virtue of the structural arrangement of the base housing12 and compartment 13, the latter can only be removed by sliding samelongitudinally of the housing in the direction of its open end. Ofcourse, the base wall 37 of the compartment 13 can only be removedtherefrom following the prior withdrawal of the compartment from thehousing. Thus, by the provision of means which are normally operable toprevent longitudinal sliding of the compartment 13 in the direction ofthe open end of the base housing, but which are selectively operable topermit such movement of the compartment, access to the interior of thecompartment may be rendered selective. The push-button combinationlocking means outlined hereinbefore facilitate such selective access tothe compartment, the locking means being arranged such that longitudinalmovement of the compartment in the direction of the open end of the basehousing is prevented, except when a predetermined combination of thepush buttons 14 are depressed.

In accordance with the particular salient aspects of the presentinvention, the push-button combination locking means include a pluralityof depressible plunger-s 4-3 mounted alongthe respective side edges ofthe base housing .12. with exposed ends projecting vertically therefromand defining the push button 14 of previous mention. More particularly,pluralities of guide casings 4d are provided in longitudinally-spacedrelation along the opposite side walls 16 and 17 of the base housing 12to extend vertically from beneath the base wall 18 to a point upwardlyspaced from the flanges 21 and 22. These casings define verticallyextending wells 45' which intersect the grooves 22 and 23. The plungers43 are respectively mounted for reciprocation with the wells and, thus,pass through the grooves 22 and 23. Preferably, the upper ends of thecasings 4-4, which overlie the flanges 19 and 21, are enlarged so as toprovide enlarged well portions for slideably receiving stop-collars 46provided integrally with the plungers 43. A shoulder 47 is providedwithin the enlarged portion of each well in downwardly-spaced relationfrom the top wall of the casing. Accordingly, the plungers 43 arerespectively movable within the wells 45 between upper and lowerpositions which are determined by engagement of the collars 46 with theupper walls of the casings 44 and the shoulders 47, respectively.Preferably, the plungers 43 are normally disposed in their upperpositions; and, to this end, each plunger is advantageouslyspring-loaded, as by means of a coil spring 43, disposed within thelower end of the casing 44 and engaging the lower end of the plunger 43disposed therein. Thus, the collars 46 normally engage the top walls ofthe casings, and the push buttons 14 accordingly project upwardlytherefrom. However, the push buttons may be depressed in opposition tothe loading of the coil springs 48 to the lower or retracted positionsdetermined by engagement of the collars 45 with the shoulders 47. Thisdepression of a predetermined combination of the push buttons 14-effects release of the compartment 13 for slideable withdrawal from theopen end of the base housing 12 in a manner now described.

Normal retentive locking of the compartment 13 upon the base housing 12and selective release of the former upon depression of a predeterminedcombination of the push buttons 14, is facilitated bylongitudinally-spaced notches 49 which are provided in the laterallyprojecting lips 41 and 42 of the compartment and adapted for traversalby the plungers 43 when the compartment is in its fully-insertedposition within the base housing More particularly, the notches 49 arepositioned and dimensioned to register with the vertical wells 45 attheir intersections with the grooves 22 and 23, when the compartment isin fully-inserted position. Thus, the plungers extend through thenotches d? and, hence, prevent longitudinal movement of the compartmentrelative to the base. it is particularly important to note that apredetermined number of the plungers are provided with grooves 51 whichare adapted to register with the grooves 22 or 23 when these plungersare in their retracted positions of push-button depression. Theremaining plungers 43 are provided with grooves $2, which are adapted toregister with grooves 22 or 23 when the plungers are in their normalpositions corresponding to extension of the push buttons from the topsof thecasings 4-4. Thus, the grooves 52 are normally in registry withthe grooves 22 or 23 ,whereas the grooves 51 are normally out ofregistration therewith. Conversely, when the push buttons 1 aredepressed the grooves 52 are out of registry and the ai's'aaso grooves51 are in registry with the grooves 22 or 23. Hence, registration of allthe grooves .51 and 52 with the grooves 22 or 23 occurs only when thepush buttons and their integral plungers, having grooves 51 therein, aredepressed while the remaining push buttons and integral plungers, havinggrooves 52, are simultaneously extended. At this time, there is, ofcourse, no obstruction to withdrawal or insertion of the compartment 13out of, or into the base housing 12, there being no obstructions ingrooves 22 or 23 to sliding movement of the lips 41, 42 therein. It willbe accordingly appreciated that depression of a predeterminedcombination of the push buttons 14, name- 1y those push buttonsintegrally associated with the plungers having the grooves 51 therein,is required for release of the compartment 13 from the base housing 12.When any but this proper combination of push buttons are depressed, allof the grooves 51 and 52 will not be in registry with the grooves 22 and23; and, accordingly, some of the plungers 4-3 will engage thecorresponding notches 49, and thus lock the compartment to the base.Numerous combinations are, of course, possible with the arrangement ofpush buttons 14, these combinations being determined by the provision ofgrooves 51 and 52 in predetermined ones of the plungers 43 when thesecomponents are manufactured and assembled at the factory. It should benoted, however, that with the specific embodiment of the conta nerillustrated in the drawings and herein described, employing six pushbuttons, it is preferable that a combination of three push buttons berequired to effect release of the compartment from the base housing inorder to afiord the greatest number of possible combinations and reducethe probability of opening the container through trial-and-errormanipulation of the push buttons as much as possible.

It is noted that the combination of push buttons which elfect release ofthe compartment from the base housing include push button plungers onboth sides thereof. A more effective locking action is thereby attained,inasmuch as the compartment is locked to the base on both sides. Inaddition, viewing of the grooves 22 and 23 and grooves 51 and 52 throughthe lips 41 and 42 of the transparent compartment is necessarily maskedto prevent direct observation of the proper combination of push buttonsto be depressed to release the compartment. In this regard, the lips 41,42 are preferably opaque as indicated in the drawings.

In order that the plungers 43 be retained in their lower positions upondepression of the push buttons 14, the locking means employed in themerchandising container of the present invention preferably includes aresettable latching mechanism. Upon depression of any combination of thepush-button plungers, the latching mechanism operates to retain theplungers in retracted positions until the latching mechanism is reset,whereupon the plungers are released and their associated springs 48return same to their uppermost, extended push-button positions. In itspreferred form, the latch mechanism includes sets of latch bars 53,which are transversely disposed within guide channels 54 extendingtransversely between the side walls 16 and 17 of base housing 12 withinthe compartment 27. The latch bars are normally urged transverselyoutward, as by means for compression springs 55, disposed between theinner ends of the latch bars of each set thereof. The outer ends of thelatch bars extend through apertures 56 in the side walls 16 and 17, andinto the wells 45 defined by the guide casings 44. The outer end tips ofthe latch bars 53 consequently resiliently engage the lower ends of theplungers 43 disposed within the wells. The plungers 43 are provided withlatch grooves 57 which are registerable with the apertures when theplungers 43 are in their lowermost positions effected by depression ofthe push buttons 14 integrally associated therewith. Accordingly, whenthe push buttons are depressed and the plungers 43 are moved downwardly,the grooves '7 register with the apertures 56; and, thelatch bars 53 areconsequently urged into engagement With such grooves to thereby latchthe plungers in depressed position.

Resetting of the latching mechanism to permit return of the plungers 43and their associated push buttons 14 to their normal extended positionsis herein achieved by means of a reset member 58, which is operable toselec tively draw the latch bars 53 transversely inward and out ofengagement with the latch grooves 57 provided in the .plungers.Preferably, the reset member 58 is provided as a flat, rectangular resetslide which is horizontally disposed within the compartment 27 andlongitudinally slideable over the upper edges of the guide channels 54which house the latch bars 53. The reset slide 53 is normally urgedlongitudinally outward in the direction .of the slot 29 provided in theopen end of the base housing 12, as by means of a compression spring5'3, disposed within a bushing 60 projectingv from the interior face ofbase housing end wall 24 and engaging the end edge of the slide. Thespring 60 hence urges the slide 58 longitudinally towards the open endof the base to a normal position determined by a stop-member 61, whichdepends from the slide and is engageable with one of the channels 54.The slide 53 is formed with a tongue 62, which projects exteriorlythrough the slot 29 so as to be externally accessible. The slide 53includes a plurality of inwardly slanted cam slots 63 adjacent the sideedges thereof; and, these slots are engaged by upwardly projectingfollower pins .64, which are respectively integrally associated with thelatch bars 53. When the slide 58 is in its normal position, the followerpins 64 engage the respective slots 63 of the slide at positions ofgreatest lateral displacement from its longitudinal center line. Thisend of each slot is provided with a transversely inwardly extendingenlarged portion 65 to permit limited transverse movement of thefollower pins 64 therein. Such movement enables the latch bars 53 tomove freely through the apertures 56 into engagement with the latchgrooves 57 of the plungers 43' when the latter are depressed and thegrooves are in registry with the apertures. However, when the tongue 62is depressed and the slide is thus urged longitudinally in the directionof the closed end of the base housing, the follower pins 64 are guidedWithin the cam slots 63 towards the ends of the slots which are closestto the longitudinal centerline of the slide. Thus, the follower pins andassociated latch bars 53 are urged transversely inward against theloading of springs 55. The latch bars are accordingly withdrawn fromengagement with the grooves 57 of the plungers 4 3 to thereby free thelatter for spring-Loaded return to their normal uppermost positions of push-button extension.

hen the slide 53 is released, the spring 60 returns same to its normalposition, at which time the follower pins 64; are disposed within thetransversely enlarged portions 65 of the slots 63. Freedom of transversemovement of the latch bars 53 is thereby permitted and latching of theplungers 43 in their retracted positions is again effected upondepression of the push buttons 14.

There is thus provided by the present invention a pushbutton combinationlock container 11, which has a cornpartment 13 Within which jewelry,Watches or similar precious or delicate items may be disposed, and thecom- 'partment looked upon the base housing 12. In order to remove theitems from the compartment 13, it is necessary to depress apredetermined combination of the push buttons 14, whose integrallyassociated plungers 43 have grooves 51 which are registerable with thegrooves 22 and 23 when the plungers are in their retracted positionscorresponding to push-button depression. Upon depression of the propercombination of the push buttons 14, the latch bars 53v engage the latchgrooves 57 of the plungers associated with these push buttons and retainsame in retracted positions. At this time, the grooves 51 of theretracted plungers and the grooves 52 of the plungers which are in theirnormal extended positions are registered with the grooves 22 or 23; and,accordingly, the compartment 13 may be freely withdrawn from the openend of the base housing. With the compartment withdrawn, its bottom wall37 may be removed therefrom to provide access to the items containedwithin the compartment. With the bottom wall 37 again placed in closingrelation to the bottom of the compartment 13, the lips 41 and 42 of thelatter may be slideably engaged within the grooves 22 and 23,respectively, and the compartment inserted through the open end of thebase housing 12 to a normal fully-inserted position thereon. The tongue62 of the reset slide 53 is then depressed so that the cam slots 63 andfollower pins 64 thereby effect withdrawal of the latch bars 53 from thegrooves 57 of the retracted plungers 43. The Plungers 43 accordinglyreturn to their normal positions wherein their associated push buttons14 are extended. At this time, the plungers 43 having the grooves 51engage the notches 49 provided in the lips 41 and 42 of the compartment13 and thus prevent longitudinal movement thereof from the base housing12. Likewise, with any but the predetermined combination of push buttons14 depressed, some of the plungers 43 engage their associated slots 43in the lips 41 and 42 of the compartment 13 to hence prevent itslongitudinal movement relative to the base housing. By virtue of thesubstantial number of possible combinations of push buttons 14 which maybe depressed, access to the items contained within the compartment 13 byanyone not aware of the predetermined combination is discouraged. Asidefrom the use of the container 11 in the safeguarding of jewelry, watchesor the like, such container may be adapted to use as a bank, byproviding a coin receiving slot 66 in the compartment 13.

What is claimed is:

1. A merchandising container comprising a substantially rectangular basehousing having an open top and an open end, a display compartmentdisposed within the open top of said housing and longitudinallyslideable relative thereto, said compartment having notched lateralprojections along its opposite side walls slideaoly received inlongitudinally extending grooves in the side walls of said housing, anda plurality of plungers reciprocably mounted within said housingadjacent the opposite sides thereof and respectively extending throughthe notches in said lateral projections of said compartment, saidplungers being depressible from extended positions wherein the upperends thereof are extended from said housing and define push buttons toretracted positions wherein the push buttons are substantially retractedwithin said housing, a first plurality of said plungers having groovesregistrable with said grooves in the side walls of said housing whensaid plungers are in their retracted positions, the remaining pluralityof said plungers having grooves registrable with said grooves in theside walls of said housing when said plungers are in their extendedpositions, whereby upon depression of said first plurality of plungersto their retracted positions while the remaining plurality of plungersare in their extended positions, the grooves of all plungers are inregistry with the grooves in the side walls of said housing andlongitudinal sliding of said compartment from said housing isunobstructed.

2. A merchandising container according to claim 1, wherein said plungersare spring-loaded towards their extended positions and furthercomprising latching means disposed within said housing for retentivelyengaging said plungers in their retracted positions, and reset meansdisposed within said housing in extension therefrom and operativelyassociated with said latching means to selectively disengage thelatching means from said plungers.

3. A merchandising container according to claim further defined by saidlatching means comprising a pinrality of latch bars transversely mountedwithin said housing and spring-loaded for movement outwardly intoengagement with said plungers, said latch bars having follower pinsprojecting therefrom, said plungers having latch grooves for receivingsaid latch bars when said plungers are in their retracted positions, andsaid reset means comprising a slide reciprocably mounted within saidhousing and having cam surfaces engaged by said follower pins for urgingsaid latch bars inwardly in response to translation of said slide.

4. A merchandising container comprising a substantially rectangularbox-like base housing of opaque plastic material having an open top andone open end, said housing having opposed longitudinally extendinggrooves in the interior surfaces of the side walls thereof, said housinghaving a plurality of longitudinally-spaced wells adjacent the sidewalls thereof extending vertically downward intosaid housing andintersecting said grooves, a display compartment having integral top,end and side wall portions and a removable bottom wall, said compartmenthaving laterally projecting lips extending longitudinally along the sidewall portions thereof and slideably engageable in said grooves, saidlips having longitudinally-spaced notches respectively registerable withsaid wells, said compartment being formed of transparent plasticmaterial and including opaque masking means in the regions of said lips,a plurality of push-button plungers reciprocably mounted within saidwells and movable between limited extended and retracted positions, apredetermined number of said plungers having grooves registerable withsaid grooves in the side walls of said housing when said plungers are insaid retracted positions and the remaining ones of said plungers havinggrooves registerable with said grooves in the side walls of said housingwhen said plungers are in said extended positions, means spring loadingsaid plungers to said extended positions, latch means disposed withinsaid housing for retentatively engaging said plungers in said retractedpositions, and reset means extending from said housing and operativelyassociated with said latch means for selectively disengaging the latchmeans from said plungers.

5. A merchandising container according to claim 4, wherein said latchmeans comprises a plurality of latch bars mounted within said housingfor translation transversely into said wells, said latch bar-sspring-loaded transversely outward to resiliently engage said plungers,said latch bars having upward projecting follower pins; said plungershaving latch grooves positioned for alignment with said latch bars whensaid plungers are in said retracted positions; and said reset meanscomprises a slide plate reciprocably mounted within said housing fortranslation longitudinally thereof in overlying relation to saidplungers, said slide plate having a plurality of inwardly slanted camslots respectively engaged by said follower pins, and said cam slotshaving transversely enlarged portions at the ends thereof toward theclosed end of said housing.

6. A merchandising container comprising a substantially rectangularbox-like base housing of opaque plastic material having an open top andone open end, said housing having opposed longitudinally extendinggrooves in the interior surfaces of the side walls thereof, said housinghaving a plurality of longitudinally-spaced wells adjacent the sidewalls thereof extending vertically downward into said housing andintersecting said grooves, said housing having a horizontal support wallspaced intermediate said grooves and the base wall of said housing todefine an enclosed region subjacent said support wall, a displaycompartment having integral top, end and side portions and a removablebottom wall, said top portion being arcuate and merging into said sideportions, said compartment having laterally projecting longitudinallyextending lips along the side wall portions thereof, said lips slidablydisposed in said grooves and said bottom wall disposed upon said supportwall with the arcuate top portion extending above the side walls of saidhousing, said lips having notches in registry with smd wells, saidcompartment being fabricated of transparent plastic material andincluding opaque masking means in the regions of said lips, a pluralityof push-button plungers reciprocably mounted within said wells andmovable between limited extended positions wherein the tops of theplungers project upwardly from the wells and limited retractedpositions, a predetermined number of said plungers on both sides of saidhousing having grooves registerable with said grooves in the side wallof said housing when said plungers are in said retracted positions andthe remaining ones of said plungers having grooves registerable withsaid grooves in the side walls of said housing when said plu-ngers arein said extended positions, said plungers having latch groovespositioned to be laterally adjacent said enclosed region subjacent saidsupport wall when said plungers are in said retracted positions, meansspring loading said plungers to said extended positions, a plurality oflatch bars transversely disposed within said enclosed region subjacentsaid support wall and movable outwardly into said wells, said latch barsbeing spring-loaded transversely outward to resiliently abut theplungers in their extended positions and retentatively engage said latchgrooves when the plungers are in their retracted positions, said latchbars respectively having upwardly projecting follower pins,

a slide plate mounted within said enclosed region subjacent said supportwall in overlying relation to said latch bars, said slide plate having atongue projecting longitudinally from said housing subjacent saidsupport wall adjacent the open end of said housing, said slide platebeing longitudinally movable between first and second positions whereinsaid tongue is respectively fully extended from said housing andpartially retracted therein, said slide plate having a plurality of camslots respectively receiving said follower pins, said slots slantinginwardly in the direction of said tongue, said slots having transverselyinwardly extending enlarged portions at the ends thereof of greatestlateral displacement from the longitudinal centerline of the slideplate, said enlarged portions receiving said pins when said slide plateis in the first position thereof, and means spring loading said slideplate to said first position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS507,244 Smith Oct. 24, 1893 1,488,820 Kimball Apr. 1, 1924 2,449,722Saathotf Sept. 21, 1948 2,936,189 Pearson May 10, 1960

1. A MERCHANDISING CONTAINER COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR BASEHOUSING HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND AN OPEN END, A DISPLAY COMPARTMENTDISPOSED WITHIN THE OPEN TOP OF SAID HOUSING AND LONGITUDINALLYSLIDEABLE RELATIVE THERETO, SAID COMPARTMENT HAVING NOTCHED LATERALPROJECTIONS ALONG ITS OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS SLIDEABLY RECEIVED INLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVES IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING, ANDA PLURALITY OF PLUNGERS RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSINGADJACENT THE OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF AND RESPECTIVELY EXTENDING THROUGHTHE NOTCHES IN SAID LATERAL PROJECTIONS OF SAID COMPARTMENT, SAIDPLUNGERS BEING DEPRESSIBLE FROM EXTENDED POSITIONS WHEREIN THE UPPERENDS THEREOF ARE EXTENDED FROM SAID HOUSING AND DEFINE PUSH BUTTONS TORETRACTED POSITIONS WHEREIN THE PUSH BUTTONS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY RETRACTEDWITHIN SAID HOUSING, A FIRST PLURALITY OF SAID PLUNGERS HAVING GROOVESREGISTRABLE WITH SAID GROOVES IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING WHENSAID PLUNGERS ARE IN THEIR RETRACTED POSITIONS, THE REMAINING PLURALITYOF SAID PLUNGERS HAVING GROOVES REGISTRABLE WITH SAID GROOVES IN THESIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING WHEN SAID PLUNGERS ARE IN THEIR EXTENDEDPOSITIONS, WHEREBY UPON DEPRESSION OF SAID FIRST PLURALITY OF PLUNGERSTO THEIR RETRACTED POSITIONS WHILE THE REMAINING PLURALITY OF PLUNGERSARE IN THEIR EXTENDED POSITIONS, THE GROOVES OF ALL PLUNGERS ARE INREGISTRY WITH THE GROOVES IN THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID HOUSING ANDLONGITUDINAL SLIDING OF SAID COMPARTMENT FROM SAID HOUSING ISUNOBSTRUCTED.